This invention relates generally to apparatus useful in treating well bores and the like. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, this invention relates to treating apparatus including a packer having spaced packing members and a valve for controlling the flow of fluid through the packer and into the zone isolated by the packing members for treating the well formations.
In the treating of oil and gas wells and the like, it is often necessary or desirable to isolate a zone in the well and inject acidizing materials, fracturing fluids, or the like into the isolated zone. It is also highly desirable to treat multiple zones in the well by moving the apparatus from one zone to another. Simultaneously with the above, it is frequently desirable to be able to circulate the fluids into and out of the well bore, to place the treating fluid between the straddle packers when desired, to be able to close off the isolated zone thus sealing the treating fluids in the isolated zone, and to be able to pump fluids through the apparatus as desired.
Apparatus for performing all of the foregoing processes have been constructed in the past, but such apparatus has been very complex and required many different pieces of equipment to perform the various operations. No one piece of equipment constructed herein before has been capable of providing all of the foregoing advantages.
The object of this invention is to provide a relativley simple, single piece of apparatus that is capable of performing all of the aforesaid operations.